justajester

Hey guys, I'm having so many issues with clutch cables. They only seem to last 3-4 months on average but I usually buy closeout cables for 8 bucks on rockauto so it isn't that big of a deal. Well, I've gotten the wrong clutch cables more than a few times from rockauto and the one that I know for sure works isn't being carried anymore. I'm not sure if my subie is just a odd compared to others or if the rockauto catalog is just incorrect. But it is an 82 brat, go, 4wd. The cables I've gotten are frequently too long or too short. The one that works doesn't have the correct connectors really but it still works pretty Damn good. So the ones I've tried is the Pioneer CA891, correct connectors but at 36.25" long, it has to make some tight bends in the brat and it makes the pedal really stiff and hard to work. So basically, it's too long. American remanfacturers cable #2118010 has the wrong connector on the pedal side but with a bolt and a nut u can make it work and at about 32" it's just the right length and makes the pedal feel amazingly smooth and nice. But, that cable is discontinued. Lastly American remanufacturers 2118001 cable , right connectors, way too short. Don't remember the exact length but around 3" short. Must've been around 28" long. Can anyone cross reference these numbers or tell me the correct cable to order?

I assume I'm not missing anything but is there a way to actually lock the tailgate on the brat? 1982 model in specific. Just wanting extra security with my topper. Not that it's a hard car to break into but ...ya know...make them work a little to get in at least.

Well I ordered a 5/18" adapter on eBay and a universal Napa air cleaner that fits the adapter apparently. It'll be here in 4-5 days, I will update with pics if all goes well. I m dieing to get a paper filter I hate k and n and all the foam filters...bad filter job and oiling is messy...cross you fingers for me boys.

Oh or I saw an adapter to make it 5 1/8" round air cleaner. Can I get paper for that?

Hey guys, my Weber came with the rectangular air filter that is pretty much standard. Is there a paper replacement for them like an acdelco? What is the proper method and cleaner/oil to use on these things?

Well, tightened my axle nut as tight as it would go, squeak gone..thanks Tom! Wouldn't have thought of that.

Well, I replaced the wheel bearings, noise cleared up completely for a bit. Now I'm back with a squeaky wheel on the same side. But,, the squeak seems to subside when I hit the brakes or whenever the car is accelerating or under power. But as soon as I left off the gas or push the clutch in here here a repetitive squeaking over and over. I replaced the bearings with timken bearings by the way.

Replaced the passenger side, sounded the same before and after. The wheel has some play, doesn't feel like a lot...but then again , I'm not sure what a lot iis.

Well boys and girls, my 82 brat has quite some noise coming from the front end. I've tried watching some YouTube videos to find a similar sound but just can't find one. At any speed on a straight away, it Mike's a slight repetitive squeaking noise that increase with speed. While turning right especially hard rights it makes a very loud creaking/grinding noise like something is rubbing on the wheel. A very metallic sound. You can also feel the car kind of shake and shimmy...it reminds me of trying to turn with a vehicle in 4wd on pavement. Lastly while braking there is a really bad grinding and popping noise. My initial thoughts have been axle or wheel bearings. I replaced the axle and that didn't do much. I'm planning on replacing the bearings tomorrow. I did notice while replacing the axle, it was very difficult to get the shaft through the bearings. I had to use a slide hammer. Someone commented that a dropped bearing would make it hard to get the shaft through. Anyways, any thoughts?

Hey guys,sorry I didn't get back to you. I was driving out to Texas. So the short answer is I fixed it and so far it has held perfect without any leakage. I took my thread insert(ez-lok, sort of like a time sert) and I coated the threads with rtv high temp copper silicone which is supposed to resist oil and high heat(I also used the rtv to make gaskets for my exhaust headers and it has worked fine too). Then I installed the insert then took my bolt and coated the threads of that and installed it. I have to say those ezlok inserts are awesome. No special tools to install it and I was able to really torque the bolts down. I feel like its a really solid fix but I think I'm going to order studs and install those in the ex loks when I pull the exhaust bolts for a semi indestructible permanant thread fix. Anyone looking to for a fix for the aluminum threads should check the ezloks out. Way cheaper and more solid then helicoil and no special tools. And the ez loks are 16mm threads outside and 10mm inside. Solid hardened steel, precoated with red loctite. Just an fyi. Thanks for all your responses, if at some point soon the fix fails I will update, but, 1200 miles and its solid so it seems to be a good solution.

Yes, it is into an oil gallery...the hole required for my thread insert was pretty big, 16mm, so I can actually stick my finger in it and feel the spring on the rocker. This is an ea81 on a brat by the way. About an ounce if oil came out when I drilled the hole.

Well if put the bolt in with some high temp silicone rtv would it seal and work for a while or is there a major risk of damage with the hole in it? I've never had this happen so I'm not really sure how having a hole in the head affects the engine. It seems to me if its plugged up with the bolt it shouldn't matter that much...but I'm not sure

Well...my exhaust threads were stripped and after taking it apart I realized it was already helicopter coiled and that's what stripped. So I decided to put a time sert type thread insert in but, it was kind of a long insert. So when I went to drill the larger hole, I accidently went all the way through into the head. Obviously this is bad but, how bad? I assume if u put in a newbolt and maybe some silicone around it, it should seal and keep oil from coming out...will this fix it or have I caused a much larger problem then I'm thinking?

Oh yeah...also is there locks on most toppers? Has anyone come up with a way to lock the tailgate? Ive never seen a brat topper in person so im just curious before i drive to pick it up tomorrow

Hey yall, i found a smokin deal on a topper and jump seats for my 82 brat but they are from a 78 brat. Will they fit the same or did they change anything?

I dont have one right now unfortunately, but, on the passenger side where the exhaust pipe attaches to the engine you will see a little aluminum manifold with a pipe coming off of it. That pipe leads up to the asv. Unscrew the pipe at that manifold then follow it up to the asv and unscrew the two screws holding that in place. Shoge a quarter in at the manifold and reassemble.

So amongst the other issues I'm ironing out in my brat, I have a new one. I hears a whining noise for a while that I kind of thought was a wheel bearing or something. All of this sudden the noise got wayyyyy louder than usual today and the speedometer shot up to 80mph even though I was doing about 20mph. And then it just kind of bounced all over the place when I slowed down. What would cause this and what should I look at replacing?

And I'm back... @djellum , it is and afterfire in the exhaust. I ran the car around town for a while to give it a really good test and it still makes a series of backfires in quick succession when you rev it to 3500+ rpms and left off the throttle/shift. It still diesels sometimes too. I tried adjusting the timing a few degrees at a time then revving the engine all the way retarded and advanced, the timing seems to make little to no difference on the backfiring. It seems to me like the engine wants to keep going like it has a bunch of gas in it but the when the throttle closes and cuts off the air it makes it rich and blamo! I need to pull the spark plug later to check for rich/lean/etc(I want to give it a good drive to get some decent color on the spark plugs first(only driven it 5 miles so far)...I did change the fuel filter at the fire wall and will try to get a fuel gauge now that I have some money but, it doesn't seem like a fuel pressure issue to me...maybe there is something I'm not thinking of however. I forgot to mention earlier a few things. The weber is bone stock from the factory, I haven't changed the jets. I live at 6500 ft. elevation on the mountain. Is it possible the jetting could be causeing backfires and dieseling? Could the elevation have it running that rich? P.S. I'm editing the weber swap video and will be posting it soon.

Hmmm maybe I'm missing something but I don't see how I can access much under the glovebox...I can see the parts moving but can't see a defrost door or anything...maybe I'm missing something.

Yes, this is on the brat, sorry. So I should look for my answer by pulling off the radio console correct?

Hey yall, Back again with a new issue. My heater wasn't working at all till yesterday when I finally opened up the fuse box to notice that the previous owner had directly wired the electric radiator fan to the fuse box by removing the heater fuse and shoving the positive wire in there (WHY?!!!!). So I replaced the fuse, reqired the fan to a different location, and hey! now my gas guage works too(why is the gas guage on the heater circuit?). Anyways, when I flip around my switch on the dash, A/C gets the heat to flow through the front vents, Bi level gives a weak flow through the front vents and a strong flow to the floor, every other setting sends the heat down to the floor. I opened up the glove box and can see the vacuum switch next to the blower motor functioning. When I flip the switch I see there is some sort of bar attached to it that moves back and forth(what is this bar?) and then I see an electrical lever of some sort that moves up and down depending on switch position right below it(appears to be functioning). What should I be looking at to try to make the defroster work(I know there is some sort of flap according to the manual but where?)? Is there an easy and simple fix for this? I really need the defroster to work more than anything else. If it's not an easy fix can I somehow block the floor vents to redirect heat to the defrosters(rag in the floor vent?)?

Well, I might be crazy here but I replaced the fuel filter today(which was not in good shape) and the car doesn't seem to back fire hardly at all and the acceleration seems a lot better. Could a fuel filter have that much effect on a car? I think I'm gonna drive her a few days before I put money into a distributor...she might be ok...once again thanks guys!

Not sure how you usethe civic vacuum advance but it seems to be 40-60 bucks to buy one depending where you get it. A completely rebuilt cardone distributoris 125 from rockauto. Considering isn't a ton more I'm almost inclined to just buy a new distributor. Is there a likelyhood that there are other Distributor problems causing these issues such as mechanical advance or other worn parts. Does it seem reasonable and worthwhile to just go ahead and get a new Distributor?

I don't have a vacuum pump but I think I can get one. Where can you get a new vacuum advance if it is broken? I've been thinking the vacuum advance is a likely culprit but I can't find a replacement one.

hey yall, thanks to everyone that answered all my questions about the weber swap. this forum has been a great help with my brat. I completed the operation and she's running much better than she was. I'm considering making an instructional video showing the whole process just for future people here that have a question. I'll probably get that posted up here in a few days. So with all that said I am having a slight issue of backfiring when the engine is reved to high too fast. Turning up the idle seemed to help a little, retarding the timing made it worse, adjusting the idle mixture seemed to have a little effect but not much. I also noticed under load while driving the brat seems to lug down past 40mph, it gets a lot louder, and makes a sound I'm not sure how to describe but, it sounds a little like a Harley, just gets really loud and kind of a thumping sound. it remind me a lot of my Harley that was running drag pipes. I really think there is something wrong with the way the distributor is working. I noticed that before I adjusted the distributor, the previous owner had it advanced as far as it would go. with it being that advanced, there is absolutely no pinging. I suspect the vacuum advance is broken and maybe the previous owner turned it all the way up to compensate. Or....i'm not sure....anyone have any guesses? would the timing cause he backfire and lugging under load? I should also mention the engine diesels sometimes...